[Back In Net 35]

I was never a butterfly goalie. I stopped playing after high shool (I'm 26 now) and the butterfly stance was becoming really popular back then. I guess my style could be compared to Mike Richter's style of play. I was always out of my crease cutting off angles and did what I had to do to stop the puck. I never reacted to a shot before the puck left a players stick like most goalies do today with butterfly.

The pads I used to have weren't made specifically for butterfly like all the new pads are today. I just picked up a pair of RBK 6k's and when I went down to try them out I was in a perfect butterfly stance which amazed me. I'm trying to get back into playing again since I love the sport and now have free time on my hands but I just hope my game comes back to me and that the new pads don't throw me off.

I used my old pads 2 weeks ago at an open hockey game at a local rink and I played really well considering I haven't played in years. I feel like the game has progressed and so has the skill of players and goalies and being able to master the butterfly with already mastering the standup position from years ago brings an aspect to the game these new goalies don't have. In my opinion, I think I will be going down in butterfly only on screen shots from the point or in the slot. I used to have a low blocker weakness when I was younger and I think the butterfly would help me out in that area as well.

I believe I read somewhere in this thread on how would you go about stacking the pads and from what I remember I would use the "T" style of moving side to side and lead with lets say my left skate while pushing with my right skate then I would kick my right pad under my left pad while my stick was infront of both pads on the ice so from the moment my left leg comes off the ice so it can be stacked with the right pad so there is no room for the shooter to shoot low while the stack is in progress. I used to stack the pads a lot back then, usually on 2-1's close to the crease or if a player skated across the net and had time to get off a high shot.
Hope that helps.